The University of Adelaide has forged a new partnership with the State Theatre Company South Australia (STCSA) to provide professional development opportunities for actors. This initiative is part of the university’s Adelaide Health Simulation (AHS)’s Simulated Patient Program, which employs over 80 local actors.
The actors, both trained and non-trained, simulate patient scenarios to help train undergraduate and postgraduate students in medicine, nursing, and allied health. These simulations are critical for honing clinical skills in a controlled environment. AHS is already known for delivering high-quality experiential learning through these programs.
Associate Professor Adam Montagu, Director of Adelaide Health Simulation, highlighted the significant role these simulations play in healthcare training. “We are proud of the work we have achieved with our SP cohort; AHS has a strong global reputation for delivering the highest quality experiential learning and assessment in a simulated environment, in no small part because of the contributions of our SPs,” he stated.
The Performer Professional Development Program will give SPs, who collectively contribute over 11,000 hours of simulation each year, access to new training opportunities within STCSA. This program acknowledges the casual nature of the majority of SP work and seeks to provide more structured development pathways.
STCSA Artistic Director Mitchell Butel said “The new partnership between the State Theatre Company South Australia and the University of Adelaide is based on our shared interest in the career sustainability and wellbeing of performers in Adelaide,” Butel said. “Performers use their skills in so many ways in our community that people wouldn’t realise, and at AHS that means helping train the medical professionals that keep our community safe and healthy.”
Lotte Crawford, AHS SP Manager and actor, shared the unique advantages the simulated environment offers to both students and actors. “Our students have access to some of the best actors in our state, as well as emerging talents,” Crawford said. “I think what would surprise those students is that some of the actors’ most treasured roles will be the ones they get to perform in simulations. Being able to advocate for a patient or a vulnerable person through their craft is an incredibly rewarding experience.”
Nicholas Laity, a medical student at the University of Adelaide, noted the unique learning perspective provided by SPs. “Receiving feedback about how you handled something with sensitivity is just as important as whatever you say medically in the simulation setting,” he observed.
The AHS, located in the Adelaide BioMed City precinct, was inaugurated in 2017 and features 22 high-fidelity hospital suites that mirror various clinical settings. It stands as the only facility in Australia accredited in teaching and education by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.
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